Oddly-marked Schrade-Walden 147L

[Jeff-o-matic]

Hello, all! I am the proud owner of a single Schrade knife, and I beg the help of your great store of knowledge.

I bought a Schrade-Walden 147(L, I think) sheath knife for $25 at a garage sale a year or two ago. The box is a bit ratty and the Number sticker that was on the side of it is gone, but the knife and sheath are in absolute mint condition (I rubbed a bit of mink oil into the leather sheath because it had never been treated - I hope that wasn't a mistake - and put a thin coat of oil on the blade). The guard plate at the base of the blade is slightly loose, but the leather-disc grip and butt are tight.

The thing that makes this knife weird is the fact that a Girl Scout logo has been chemically etched onto one side of the blade (see inserted image below). I have not put a lot of time into researching this combination of knife/etching, but I wanted to see if anyone here has seen or heard of such a thing:

Thank you for whatever information that you might give me!

-Jeff A. (Jeff-o-matic)

 

[ky40601]

Jeff,

All I know is it's one of the ones I need for my collection. You got a nice knife there in super conidition. Great find.

Jackie

 

[rprocter]

Jeff, can you show us: the entire knife; sheath; and box ? then the experts here(they all deny being experts however) will probably be able to tell you quite a bit about your excellent knife.
roland

 

[Jeff-o-matic]

This I can do! Here are two images that show the box, sheath and knife:

and here's an image showing the end of the box, where the serial# should be:

Thanks!

 

[rprocter]

Jeff, i just get 3 red Xs which will not open to a picture. just this computer ?
roland

 

[Jeff-o-matic]

Hmm... I posted the images in my flickr page and used them as the bases for the images in my post here... then I deleted them from flickr, which perhaps is the reason why they aren't showing up here.

I just reposted them in flickr and edited the post here with new links, so maybe they'll show up now. If they don't, then you can go to my flickr photostream and see them there:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeff-o-matic/

Okay, it's a couple hours after I wrote the above information, and I found an intriguing little webpage about Girl Scouts history and memorabilia:

http://www.vintagegirlscout.com/campknife2.htm

Check out the last knife that is listed - this not only gives me some verification, but it also dates my knife within a span of 6 or 7 years.

 

[thawk]

Great to see that box Jeff. Don't see the old Walden boxes all that often.

 

[Jeff-o-matic]

Thanks, thawk!

I just edited my previous post, right above yours - I found some info about Schrade-Walden with respect to Official Girl Scouts sheath knives, and I am pleased almost to the point of being giddy!

 

[rprocter]

Jeff, great first thread, pictures and GS link. the Kinfolks GS Fighter shown bottom left is also a neat knife. 1943, the GS were ready to defend the Homeland !
roland

 

[Codger_64]

Early 1960's would be correct. That stamped "waffle" design sheath (discontinued by circa 1966/67) was used for a short time then and it conforms to the company name and "shop sign" logo used on the box. The trefoil appears to be etched, however, not stamped as the GS website implies. Nice find though. I have some GS Imperial folding stainless camp cutlery. BSA cutlery is more popular and easier to find though, as a lot more of it appears to have been made. Anyone have the matching GS hatchet?

Michael

 

[gradall5200]

Jeff great pics awesome to see the whole get up in tact like that thanks for sharing- Joel

 

[Jeff-o-matic]

Codger_64, thanks for the info about the sheath - that likely narrows the production date to anywhere from 1963-67. I was wondering about that logo, too - the site does state that the blade was stamped, and yet the logo shown on the site photo seems rather dark for just being a stamp... but then again, the photo itself is pretty fuzzy. I did e-mail the site contact with my story and the pictures, but I have not yet gotten back any response.

Gradall5200, thanks for the kind words!